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Home › Articles › Kitchens › The New Living Room

The New Living Room

Tips for Making the Kitchen
More Livable

Pages:  1  2  

Make your kitchen a personal space. Use color and accent the space with favorite objects. Display your collection of pitchers or vintage cocktail shakers or baskets. Don't be afraid to mix sleek stainless-steel appliances with a warmer palette of wood cabinetry and flooring, or with marble or granite countertops.

  • Stay well-connected. For a kitchen to be truly livable, it needs connections – computer with high-speed Internet access (a great way to access a recipe quickly) and a TV (so you can watch the news or cook along with Alton Brown). Even small spaces can accommodate a small wall-mounted television, although the pop-up flat screen ones are nice!
  • Let there be light. Make sure the workspaces in the kitchen are attractively and adequately lit. Experiment with area and "mood" lighting just as you would in a living room. Small table lamps, hanging lamps, torchieres and sconces can all add a lot of character and make the space seem warm and inviting.
  • If music be the food of love... Bring your favorite music into the kitchen with a small CD player or by wall-mounting stereo speakers or even by playing iTunes on your computer. It makes cooking more festive, clean-up more fun and draws your guests in.
  • Add a children's corner. If you have the space, consider devoting a corner of your kitchen to child's play. Have a small table and chairs and storage bins for toys, art supplies, etc.

    • Above all, says Sabbagh, create a kitchen that is functional for the cook or cooks, comfortable enough to hang out in and a reflection of your personal style. For basic guidelines on planning your kitchen space, visit the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Web site. Siemens Home Appliances are available at Best Buy in the United States and Future Shop stores throughout Canada.

       

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